Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Dillingham Airfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mokuleia, Hawaii 96836
Wednesday, September 24, 2014 11:20 HST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to the glider tow flight, the pilot estimated that he had about 45 minutes of fuel on board; he also estimated that the flight would take about 12 minutes. The pilot reported that he did not visually check the fuel level prior to departing, but relied on the sight gauge. After releasing the glider and while in the descent, the engine lost power. Judging that he could not make the airport, the pilot landed just off shore in the ocean surf. A postaccident examination of the engine and propeller revealed no apparent damage to the propeller, and that when rotated there were no abnormal sounds detected from the engine. An examination of the airframe revealed that both ailerons were damaged, the fuselage was deformed, and the rudder was damaged. Additionally, when the fuel tank was inspected, which had not been breached, it was observed to be empty. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper preflight planning and reliance of fuel gauge readings, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/24/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1120 |
| Event Time Zone | Hawaii Standard Time |
| Event City | Mokuleia |
| Event State | HAWAII |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96836 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 213450N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1581243E |
| Event Location Airport | Dillingham Airfield |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HDH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 110 |
| Airport Elevation | 14 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1158 Hawaii Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 125 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HHI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 825 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | HST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.06 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 33444 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 20 2014 12:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8555L |
| NTSB Number | WPR14CA389 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA25 - 260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-4976 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | North Shore Aircraft Leasing Co LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Waialua |
| Aircraft Owner State | HI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 96791 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Arco Flight International |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Mokuleia |
| Operator State | HI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 96836 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Glider Tow |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | HDH |
| Departure City | Mokuleia |
| Departure State | HI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1120 |
| Departure Time Zone | HST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HDH |
| Destination City | Mokuleia |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 20 2014 12:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 080 |
| Runway Length | 9007 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |